Pacilic island countries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of invasive species. After habitat destruction or modification, invasive species are responsible for more species extinctions than any other cause. Further, the rate of extinction of native species has been higher on islands than anywhere else in the world. Invasive species have also degraded native ecosystems.

Dealing with invasive species is a huge job. Invasive species are everyone's responsibility, but people can only help if they are aware and know what they can change to make a difference. This guide is designed to support your creation of cost-effective communications campaigns to reduce the impact of invasive species in Pacific Island nations. Thanks to Steve Menzies and the Pasifika Collective for assisting with the design of the campaign, assisting and advising SPREP through the process, and preparing the draft text for this guide.

The presence of invasive species generally leads to negative impacts, some perhaps irreversible, and the economic costs from the impacts and their management can be substantial and long-lasting. Efforts to understand the extent of damages caused by invasive species are slowly gaining momentum globally; however, in many countries, efforts are only beginning. This guide will assist Pacific island practitioners to use the costs that result from invasive species incursions to gain support to fund prevention, management, restoration, research and outreach.

The invasive battler has a difficult job. Many of the management solutions for invasive species require a broad base of information to determine the best way to approach an issue and determine if the approach is feasible. Likely questions a battler will face are: what is that species? How did it get here and where will it go next? Is it a risk to our environment or other important national asset? Where else is this species found and what did they do about it?

Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) systems are the first line of defence against invasive species once they have penetrated national or inter-island biosecurity systems. For these systems to be effective, a plan is required to coordinate the responsible agencies and ensure both the systems and equipment to address the detected species are in place prior to the response. Several countries have developed these plans recently, which are available on the Battler Resource Base. SPREP thanks James Stanford, who drafted the text for this guide.

National or Territory Invasive Species Strategies and Action Plans (NISSAP) are a critical document to ensure invasive species management is coordinated within a country or territory and that the different sectors involved with invasive species management are working together toward the same goals. NISSAP are essential to show political will for managing invasive species and are looked upon favourably by funding bodies.

The Indian, or common, myna, Acridotheres tristis (Sturnidae: Passeriformes: Aves) was introduced throughout New Zealand in the 1870?s by locals and Acclimatisation Societies (Bull et al., 1985). Birds subsequently established in most of the North Island, with high densities present in the urban and suburban areas. Common mynas continue to flourish in the northern and central North Island, and are usually more abundant than most native birds in gardens and parks (LCR, 2008)

The intentional and unintentional transfer of species from one water body to another around the world has boomed in recent decades. Many seas and regions have been invaded by a high number of non-native species. Some of these species thrive in their new habitats, out-competing native species and changing

Invasive alien species are recognised as one of the leading threats to biodiversity and also impose enormous costs on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and other human enterprises, as well as on human health. Rapidly accelerating human trade, tourism, transport, and travel over the past century have dramatically enhanced the spread of invasive species, allowing them to surmount natural geographic barriers. Not all non-indigenous species are harmful. In fact the majority of species used in agriculture, forestry and fisheries are alien species.